


the cat hotel

by Kitsune-Feuchen (Feuchen)



Series: Nekoma-Shifter-Hotel [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-04 13:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18605680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feuchen/pseuds/Kitsune-Feuchen
Summary: Nekoma is a hotel where shifter could live and work without problems.Yaku is on the run for something and ends up there more or less involuntarily.





	1. Chapter 1

Kuroo hummed a little while he was on his way back to the Nekoma hotel. His black cat tail waved back and forth. He carried a shopping bag in his hand after making some errands.

Just before the building of the hotel he stopped and stared in horror at the figure lying on the floor, whose eyes were closed. With a quick movement he had approached the one and had knelt beside the boy. He parked the bag next to him and examined the other boy a moment, checking his breathing and heartbeat before breathing with relief.

Slowly, his gaze slid to the brown cat ears the other had before he recognized his tail, which lay limply on the floor. The other’s clothes were tattered and in some corners he realized he had a few scratches on his body.

Kuroo swallowed briefly before lifting the other one without much hesitation, reaching for the shopping bag with one hand and bridging the last meters to the hotel where he lived and worked. The other one was a bit smaller than him and thus lighter, so he didn‘t have too much trouble. Especially since it was fortunately just before the building.

He slammed the door open with the body, put down the bag on the side, and looked around for a moment before spotting someone with a trail of lighter-colored cat ears than him, more gray-skinned but with a black tip. "Shibayama, take care of the errands."

The boy nodded hastily and walked quickly past him, grabbing the bag before turning back to Kuroo, "What happened? Who is this?"

"No idea," Kuroo replied, shaking his head, "but I’ll take care of him." After that, he and the smaller one in his arms made the quickest route to his own room, which lay in the private part of the hotel, where he placed him on his bed.

With a little sigh, he studied him again, carefully peeking at the other’s tattered clothes to scrutinize the scratches and injuries to his body. At least the other one didn‘t seem to have any worse injuries, even if his whole body was covered with a few scratches. He would like to know who the other person was and what had happened to him.

Nevertheless, he put the blanket over his body, while he smiled a little. His cat ears twitched a little while he seemed to sleep peacefully otherwise. Even if it looked rather as if the other had fainted, just he looked rather peaceful asleep.

Carefully, he stroked his forehead as he whispered, "Don‘t worry, you’re safe here."

–*–

Irritated, he opened his eyes as he puzzled, holding the covers over him. Where was he?

He couldn‘t remember the last time he‘d slept in a warm, comfortable bed.

Confused, he sat up and pushed the blanket down from his body, blinking as he saw some clothes lying folded on a chair next to him.

He stared for a moment before he heard the door open and he turned his head in the direction. His body tensed in anticipation of who he would see there. His ears twitched clearly and his hands clenched in the covers over his legs.

"Oh, you’re awake," a boy, probably a little younger than him, with black, short hair and gray-black cat ears, said to him, "Kuroo-san said I should bring you something to eat."

"Kuroo? Who, where am I actually here?" He started softly and looked at the other confused, then looked at the tray and the food on it, whereupon his stomach began to growl. His cheeks went a little red and he lowered his eyes to the blanket. He had no idea when he had last eaten something decent.

"You’re at the Nekoma hotel," the boy said and walked over to him, setting down the tray on the nightstand beside the bed, "my name is Shibayama Yuki. Kuroo-san found you outside."

He slowly raised his gaze and looked at Shibayama before he saw what he had parked next to him. "Excuse me. I shouldn‘t make you any trouble. I -",

"Eat first," Shibayama interrupted him, smiling calmly, waving his tail slightly to one side.

Still too surprised at the friendliness of the other, he finally reached for the tray and set it on the bed in front of him to start eating. He knew his stomach could handle it and that he didn‘t get far if he didn‘t eat. He could still see after that that he disappeared from here. He wasn‘t allowed to stay here.

"I have to go then, there’s a lot to do, so, uh," Shibayama muttered, scratching the back of his head a bit and moving toward the door, "rest, okay?"

He just nodded a little without looking at him again and instead continued to eat. He wouldn‘t stay here long. As soon as he regained his strength, he had to disappear. "Thank you, Shibayama," he managed still quietly, before the other could leave the room again.

"No problem, after all, you’re one of us," Shibayama replied, smiling at him before he really set out to leave the room and leave their guest alone.

A little more thoughtfully he interrupted his meal and just stared in front of him. ‚ _One of us_ ‘, it went through his mind and he smiled a little tormented. He wasn‘t like the others and he would never be like other cat shifter.

After he had finished eating and set the tray back on the nightstand, he reached for the water glass and drank it a little slower. He wouldn‘t be able to stay here. He only endangered the others at some point. He‘d to get away from here.

Slowly he put the empty glass back beside him and slid out from under the covers, looked at the clothes on the chair, then realized he was wearing only his boxer shorts.

Sighing, he picked up the clothes and slowly dressed. At least they fit him reasonably, which was an advantage.

His eyes focused on the door before he got up from the bed and tried to approach them as he paused in the movement as the door to the room opened. Startled, he sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the person who entered. He seemed to be a bit taller than him, clearly with chaotic black hair and black cat ears. His eyes were golden brown, while his tail was also black and swung to the side.

"Oh, you’re actually awake," he started, grinning at him, "how are you?"

A little surprised, he simply blinked at him. "Alright," he murmured finally, "who are you?"

"My name is Kuroo Tetsurou, your savior, so to speak," he replied grinning and stroking his wild hair, "and you are?"

For a moment he returned the other’s gaze in silence, before finally answering, "Yaku Morisuke."

"Yaku? So, I don‘t suppose that you’re fit so quickly, so you should lie down again," Kuroo started and stepped over to him, gently pushing him back onto the bed, causing Yaku to flinch a little. His eyes reflected his confusion.

"Stop that," he grumbled, turning his head the other way, "and I’m not staying -"

"You stay here," Kuroo said and his tone had something final, "until I tell you that you can go."

"What- you don‘t have to decide that for me, Kuroo!", Yaku replied, now staring back at him, as he noticed how Kuroo certainly pushed him onto the mattress and pushed the coverlet over him again, "let me!"

"Either you stay voluntarily," Kuroo began before a diabolical grin hit his lips, "or I have to tie you up, Yaku."

Startled, Yaku widened his eyes before glancing at the other side and saying a little more softly, "You don‘t know what you’re doing with it."

"What -?" Kuroo asked in surprise, a little scared that the other had responded to his little threat, "please, rest, Yaku. You really scared me when I found you outside."

Yaku briefly turned his head back to him, finally sighing a little beaten and pulled the blanket up to himself, looking a little more cautiously at the other, "All right."

"Good," Kuroo nodded, smiling, "do you like anything else? Eat? Drink?" Incidentally, he reached for the tray to go slowly out of the room.

"Actually, I just want to sleep," Yaku finally said quietly as he crept halfway under the blanket.

"Then sleep on," Kuroo said and chuckled a bit before setting to leave the room and closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time Yaku opened his eyes, he blinked a little at the darkness of the room. With a glance to the side of the window he only realized that it was probably night.

Sighing, he turned on his side as he looked around the room. It didn‘t even bother him that it was dark, after all, he could see as well in the dark, if not better.

His eyes fixed on the sleeping figure of Kuroo lying on a sofa, his arms and legs stretched out in all directions. It surprised him a little that the other was here, but probably he really didn‘t want to leave him alone.

Yaku sighed slightly before slipping under the covers and sitting up, taking a quick look around the room. Finally he looked to a door at the side. Quietly he slipped towards it and opened the door just as softly, looked into the small bathroom behind it and finally entered, closed the door behind him again and took a breath.

He clearly felt better than before. It was the best way to get away and leave this city. Otherwise he would only be found someday.

Yaku glanced briefly into the mirror above the sink. His eyes had a light, golden glow due to the darkness he was in and he closed them, leaning on the sink and just looked down.

He had begun to hate his own reflection because he knew what it meant. He shook his head, let the water run briefly, and splashed it into his face a little before turning the tap again. With a towel on the side he dried himself off and turned back to the door, opened it quietly and went back into the room.

Even before he opened the door to the outside, he looked at Kuroo one last time and smiled a little bitterly. He would like to stay here. "Thank you. For everything, Kuroo," he whispered softly, before he pushed down the latch and was about to open the door.

"Where are you going, Yaku?"

He flinched when he heard the voice of the other and his tail stood up a little. His eyes were still on the bedroom door. "It’s better if I go."

"Why?" Kuroo asked as he sat up and stroked sleepily through his hair. At that moment, he was glad that he had told the night shift to be on the safe side, that they should keep an eye out in case his guest wanted to leave the hotel. In case he didn‘t hear him.

Yaku said nothing and continued to look at the door. There were things he didn‘t want to tell and certainly not a stranger like Kuroo. "Why do you care what I do?"

Kuroo looked in his direction and scratched something on the back of his head as he thought about it. "In the first place, probably because you’re hurt and I don‘t think that you’ll be okay yet, Yaku."

Yaku’s hand tightened slightly on the doorknob while his eyes lit up a little more. Why did the other act as if he had to take care of him? "I’m fine on my own!" Still, he felt as if he couldn‘t move or just walk, even though he was about to leave this room.

His thoughts circled that he should flee, while at the same time he just wanted to stay here. Wanted to be held by Kuroo and never wanted to think again of those who were after him.

"Yaku," Kuroo started, feeling the other man struggle with himself. Slowly he slid off the sofa and switched on a small night lamp, cautiously moving toward the other. "I don‘t want to hold you here, but -",

"Kuroo," Yaku interrupted as he released the doorknob and turned to face the other. He had heard the other man step behind him. His eyes still glowed a little with a golden glow, though not so much because of the light. Without saying anything, he wrapped his arms around the bigger man’s body and pressed his face against his upper body, while he just held on to him.

For a moment, Kuroo just stared at the other’s reaction before putting his arm around the smaller body and stroking his hair and ears with his other hand. "You’re safe, Yaku." He had no idea what had happened to the other, but he did not care for that moment either. He only hoped that he could now at least do better and Kuroo would do anything to help him. "I will not leave you alone if you do not want that, Morisuke."

Yaku swallowed a bit as he heard the other’s last sentence. It sounded reassuring as Kuroo called him by his first name. Just like his touch on his cat ears. He wished it just stayed that way and for the moment he just hoped it could stay that way. He didn‘t want to think that he was being persecuted and wanted. He didn‘t want to think that he endangered anyone who helped him. He just wanted to believe that he was safe here. That Kuroo protected him.


	3. Chapter 3

He didn‘t know how he got back to bed or when he fell asleep. When he woke up, Yaku only noticed that he was being held by Kuroo.

It was already getting lighter outside, only his eyes fixed on the other. He still seemed to sleep peacefully. Should he really risk it and stay here? It felt so good when he was being held so by Kuroo. Just to get a feeling that he could be happy here, even if he secretly knew that it wouldn‘t be like this forever.

Yaku quickly swallowed and pressed against the other’s torso again, reaching for the blanket with one hand and clasping it a little. He didn‘t want to go back under any circumstances.

Slowly, Kuroo opened his eyes as he heard soft, uneven sounds from the other, then he turned his gaze to him, "Are you okay, Yaku?"

"Yeah," Yaku pressed a little against his body, before slowly pushing away from the other, "it’s alright."

"Don‘t you really want to tell me what’s bothering you?" Kuroo started calmly and looked at Yaku, looking into the other’s brown eyes. He wasn‘t even sure he‘d not just imagined the shimmer in his eyes the last night. After all, it had been late and he wasn‘t really awake.

"No," Yaku shook his head and slipped back a little, leaning against the frame at the headboard and the wall beyond. If he could forget all that, it would be better.

"All right," Kuroo said, smiling at him, sitting up in front of him, "would you like to come over for breakfast?"

Yaku simply looked back blankly before turning his head away. It wasn‘t that he wasn‘t hungry, but he was reluctant to be with others.

"Should I get something and we have breakfast here?" Kuroo asked calmly, feeling as if he just didn‘t want to be among other humans or cat shifter.

Yaku blinked at him a little before he lowered his eyes to him. "You should not worry about it."

Kuroo just grinned at him, "That’s nothing. Do you want something special?" He got up at the same time and made his way to the bedroom door while he was still in his sleep clothes for the moment. But for the moment he was in no hurry to change.

"Everything’s fine," Yaku muttered without looking at him again. After all, he had always eaten what he had received. He should not have been picky if he wanted to eat at all.

Kuroo sighed for a moment, then finally nodded, "Alright, I’ll go find something. I’ll be right back, so don‘t run away, will you?" It was rather a joke before he finally left the room. Also, if he really hoped that Yaku wouldn‘t start trying to get away from here. He just knew he didn‘t want to let him go. He worried too much about the smaller one.

Yaku just stared at the fallen door Kuroo had walked through. He didn‘t know what he wanted right now. On the one hand, he just wanted to stay here with the other, but at the same time, he wanted to go away, so as not to endanger Kuroo or anyone else from here, should they find him.

Nevertheless, he finally smiled. First of all, he wouldn‘t think about fleeing. Also, because he really felt that he could live safely here.

–*–

The breakfast passed quietly and pleasantly. Yaku could not remember when he had ever had such a big breakfast, except that he began to enjoy the other’s company.

During the day, he curled up on the sofa in a blanket and watched a movie that was on television while Kuroo was busy working in the hotel. Meanwhile, Yaku knew he was in Kuroo’s private room so he could relax. At the moment he wasn‘t ready to meet someone else.

When the movie was over, he looked out of the window a little while, letting the TV run at a low volume in the background. Would he find him here?

He didn‘t want to go back. He didn‘t want to flee from them. But neither did he want to put Kuroo or anyone else in danger here.

A little more, Yaku snuggled into the blanket while he looked back at the TV. This time, however, without really something to notice. He wanted so much that he could stay here.

The knock on the door made him wince and stand up a little more. He turned his head to one side and looked over the back of the sofa. Who could that be?

"Sorry for the disturbance," a voice came to his ears as Yaku realized that a boy with short, black hair and a little more protruding cat ears, light gray at the top, entered. "I should check on you and, well, Nekomata-san would like to talk to you."

Yaku looked at him a little more insistently, before he sank back onto the sofa and clung to the blanket, "Why?"

"Well, he’s the head of the Nekoma hotel and all," the boy mumbled and waved his tail sideways, "oh, by the way, I’m Fukunaga Shohei!"

For a moment, Yaku raised an eyebrow and turned halfway, even though he couldn‘t really see the other one. Actually, he couldn‘t refuse if it was the boss of this hotel, right? Still, he felt uncomfortable meeting someone else. "I’m not really ready for it," he mumbled quietly, tensing his fingers in the blanket, "if that’s okay, Fukunaga-kun."

"Hm, I think it’s okay, after all, Kuroo-san meant that you were not feeling well," Fukunaga countered as he tilted his head slightly while his eyes lay on top of the other. Also, if he looked at the back of the sofa and could’nt see Yaku. "I’ll talk to Nekomata-san again."

Relieved, Yaku took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes, thank you." He would probably be able to do it somehow, if he could not help it. But he preferred it when he didn‘t need to see anyone. He just listened as Fukunaga moved out of the room and the door slammed shut behind him. He had the feeling that the others were nice and he was safe here. Still, he only really felt well when he was with Kuroo, even if he couldn‘t really explain it.


	4. Chapter 4

It was already dark outside and Kuroo yawned a little while leaning against the counter. He was just waiting for a guest who had announced himself for the evening before he could finish his shift. He wanted to talk to Yaku once again about the boss of the hotel wanting to talk to him, even if Fukunaga said he didn‘t feel well enough.

Kuroo could imagine why Yaku had refused to talk to Nekomata-san. Or at least want to delay it. He didn‘t want to have breakfast with the others in the morning either.

He sighed and stared at the entrance. He knew that sometimes it would be delayed if someone came and he knew that Nekomata-san valued, if they were special guests, that they also received them at the times that suited them. Still, with a glance at the clock on the wall, he noticed that it was already fifteen minutes later than agreed.

"Ah, Tetsurou," the voice of his boss came to him, whereupon Kuroo turned and looked at the older man with the white-gray hair. Between them one could see more disheveled, white cat ears and also his tail was more than disheveled.

"What’s up, Nekomata-san?" Kuroo started and looked at him a little surprised.

"Mind if you pick something up?" Nekomata-san asked, smiling calmly at him with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Uh, I’m still waiting for Arukawa-san," Kuroo replied, looking at him calmly.

"Hm, that’s different, of course," Nekomata-san muttered, looking a bit more thoughtful before turning aside, "could you talk to your new friend again later? I would really like to talk to him."

"I do," Kuroo said, nodding briefly as he watched Nekomata-san as he left the lobby. Also, if he didn‘t know if he was able to persuade Yaku to speak with the head of the Nekoma hotel.

The sound of the front door made Kuroo turn back to face the arriving guest. He wore a black silk suit while his hair was dark brown with a green stitch. His eyes were a little icy as he looked at him."Welcome to the Nekoma Hotel, Arukawa-sama, we have already set up and prepared everything for you." He bowed curtly and waved someone to him to look after the other’s luggage. "Were there any problems with the journey?"

Arukawa narrowed his eyes as he examined Kuroo before exhaling a bit. "There were a few inconveniences, but that doesn‘t matter. However, I’m in the mood for something special."

"I’ll send someone to the room that will fulfill your wishes," Kuroo said, nodding slightly, stepping aside and heading for the elevators, "please follow me."

With some firm steps Arukawa followed the other and past Kuroo into the elevator. After Kuroo had dialed the floor in question and set the elevator in motion, Arukawa calmly looked at him before reaching for something from the briefcase he was still carrying. "I’m looking for someone. Maybe you have heard of him. After all, this is _Nekoma_."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow and waved his tail aside as he turned to the guest and looked at the note he held out to him. The picture on it showed a boy with brown, short hair and brown eyes, as well as cat ears. If the boy in the picture didn‘t look so childish, he might mistake him for Yaku.

He banished the thought and shook his head a little. It couldn‘t be that this boy in the picture was Yaku.

"This kitten is mine. The picture is a bit outdated, by now he’s already twenty," Arukawa started, putting the note back in his pocket, "if you have any clues as to where I find him, I’d be willing to pay some of the 10,000 yen, quite a bit more, if I can get him back."

Kuroo just stared at him and was a little relieved when the elevator finally reached the upper floor where the suite prepared for Arukawa lay so he could lead him there. "I’ll keep my eyes open, Arukawa-sama."

Arukawa nodded and walked to the bedroom door of the suite, where Kuroo stopped and opened it with a room card before handing him the card. "I wish you a pleasant stay at the Nekoma Hotel," Kuroo finally said, bowing once more. Arukawa smiled at him and stroked Kuroo’s cat ears. "And I hope to find my sweet kitten soon. His name is Yaku Morisuke, if the name says something to you."

Kuroo flinched when he heard that, glad he‘d not risen yet. He wasn‘t sure he could look at the other without giving himself away. "I’ll let you know if I should hear something, Arukawa-sama." Shortly thereafter, he just heard the door of the suite being closed and he looked up cautiously, noticing that Arukawa had left him alone, so he set about leaving the floor again. For now, others were responsible for ensuring that nothing was missing.

He knew it would hurt Nekoma to not tell Arukawa. But he couldn‘t tell the other one. Not after he met Yaku and wanted to be there for him.

Before heading off to his private room, he told someone else to visit Arukawa, before heading for his bedroom door. He took a deep breath in and out before slowly opening the door and looking into the room.

His eyes fell on the sofa and noticed that Yaku had curled up in the blanket and fallen asleep on it. Kuroo chuckled as he stepped up to him and stroked his hair. He could not betray the other under any circumstances. Neither was he able to tell Yaku that this guy was in the hotel.

Maybe he should talk to Nekomata-san again, after all, it was also about a guest of this hotel. Kuroo knew his boss didn‘t betrayed any of them so easily. They had a chance to live normally through Nekomata-san.

With one last look at Yaku, he smiled and made his way back through the room, left quietly without waking the other, and went to see the head of Nekoma.

For a while he walked through the different corridors until he stopped in front of a door slightly away from the other rooms and knocked.

It was not long before he heard an answer, opening the door and entering the room, which was more of an office space. "Nekomata-san," Kuroo began softly and looked at him seriously as he closed the door behind him again.

"What brings you to me now, Tetsurou?" Nekomata-san replied, calmly looking back at him as he leaned back in his chair.

"It’s about Yaku," Kuroo whispered a little more to himself, even if he did not even know why he was whispering. Nobody else would hear him here anyway.

"What about him?" Nekomata-san asked, looking back a little more thoughtfully.

"Actually, it’s Arukawa-san," Kuroo finally said, looking a bit more sullen, "he’s looking for Yaku because he says Yaku is his kitten." It felt so strange to talk about it in that sense. He didn‘t want to think that this guy had done this to Yaku. That Yaku probably fled from him.

"I understand," said Nekomata-san, and the look in his eyes was utterly blank as he looked at Kuroo, "you know that Arukawa is an extremely important guest for Nekoma, Tetsurou."

"Yeah, I know," Kuroo murmured calmly, just looking at the floor. Nekomata-san wouldn‘t go so far as to betray one of them, would he? He did not want to deliver Yaku to this guy.

"Then you know what you have to do, Tetsurou," replied Nekomata-san, looking urgently at the younger one, "you can do it tomorrow."

"What?" Kuroo started and raised his head, staring into his boss’s eyes, "but- Yaku is one of us, right?"

"Tetsurou," Nekomata-san started too calmly for the taste of the other, "if he belongs to Arukawa, it’s the only thing we can do."

Kuroo looked at him silently for a moment before finally nodding quietly and turning to leave the room. "Yes, of course, Nekomata-san," he said without emotion, before leaving his office room and making his way back to his own room.

He didn‘t know what he should do now because he knew that there was no other way. Yet he knew he couldn‘t do it.

When he entered his room and closed the door behind him, he looked at the smaller one and looked into those brown eyes that just looked at him. Kuroo didn‘t know what to say when he saw Yaku like this, wrapped in the blanket and with that look that still looked so hurt and sad.

"Kuroo?" Yaku whispered, clutching the blanket in his hands.

"It’s okay, Yaku," Kuroo countered, forcing a smile as he moved toward the other and sat down on the sofa next to him, wrapping his arms around him and just holding him. Why was he lying to the other? Why couldn‘t he tell him that there was nothing okay?

Yaku swallowed as he saw the other’s gaze. It felt more like Kuroo just didn‘t want to disturb him. Nevertheless, he did not say anything and only pressed against him. He just felt good when he could cuddle up to the other and enjoy his closeness.

As Kuroo felt how much Yaku pressed against him, he slid his one hand to the other’s cat’s ears and stroked it. He couldn‘t really betray Yaku. Somehow he had the feeling that he regretted it when he pushed the smaller one away. If he delivered him to Arukawa. Only what should he do if he refused?

"Don‘t cry," Yaku whispered, pushing away from the other, running a hand to Kuroo’s cheek and brushing a tear away, "why are you crying, Kuroo?"

Kuroo rubbed his eyes in shock before looking at Yaku again. He had not even realized that he had begun to cry. Did Yaku mean so much to him? "Nobody will get you, Morisuke. Nobody." He knew it was risky to keep Yaku hiding here and face Nekomata-san, but he just couldn‘t deliver Yaku to Arukawa. He could not.

"Kuroo," Yaku muttered a little confused that he had said something like that to him, while at the same time getting a feeling that just made him happy. It felt so good when Kuroo called him by his first name.

"I’ll protect you," Kuroo whispered, laying his hands on Yaku’s shoulders, staring straight into his eyes, "I promise you." He leaned forward and gave the other a short, gentle kiss on his forehead before he just smiled. He would never give Yaku back, no matter who he had to face.


	5. Chapter 5

When Yaku woke up the next morning in the other’s arms, he felt even more that something had happened. He simply couldn‘t forget Kuroo’s words of yesterday evening. In general, he thought about his whole behavior. He didn‘t want to experience Kuroo like he had last night.

He stared at Kuroo for a moment, smiling a little and moving cautiously away from him. Why did the other one do so much for him? Somehow he was the only person he ever really felt safe with.

"Yaku," Kuroo muttered as he stretched out his arms after the other, but without waking, "I’m not ... letting him ... get you."

Yaku winced as he listened to what Kuroo muttered to himself. He probably slept anyway. Who did Kuroo mean? Was it possible that _he_ was looking for him?

He clutched his body a little bit with his arms, only feeling an icy shiver running down his spine. It was a bad feeling what came over him. He didn‘t want to go back. "Please ... don‘t let him show up," Yaku whispered as his eyes returned to Kuroo. "I don‘t want to have to get out of here again."

"Yaku?" Kuroo started softly after he had awakened from the soft voice of the other and now noticed how Yaku quivered apparently. He slipped a little forward and wrapped his arms around the other, just pulling him close to his body. "What’s happening?"

"I-", Yaku started, swallowed and looked up at Kuroo, "you have spoken of someone. Is someone here looking for me?"

Kuroo looked at him in shock, not sure how the other knew. "Is anyone looking for you?" He started softly and smiled gently at him. Did he talk about something in his sleep or why did Yaku think about it?

"You said you were protecting me," Yaku mumbled, just hugging Kuroo, "you said you wouldn‘t let him get me. Is somebody here?"

Kuroo swallowed and nodded slightly, stroking Yaku reassuringly over his back. "I will not allow it," he finally said, pushing Yaku away from him so that he could look him in the eyes, "even if ... Arukawa-san is an important guest at Nekoma Hotel. Even if Nekomata-san says I-" he stopped as he felt Yaku cramp in front of him more and more, "Yaku?"

"A-Arukawa-sama ... is here?", Yaku swallowed softly and in a trembling voice.

"Don‘t worry, I didn‘t tell him you were with me," Kuroo replied, smiling calmly.

"That-" Yaku started as he slipped a piece of Kuroo and instead clenched himself in the blanket. He had to get out of here before anyone else in this place was in danger. "I should not have stayed here."

Kuroo just grabbed his wrist and made sure that Yaku couldn‘t move farther away from him. "I told you, I protect you. So stay here for the time being."

Yaku just stared at him as he tried, halfheartedly, to free himself from the other’s grip. He wanted to stay here with Kuroo and believe him, but he also knew what Arukawa was capable of. He really didn‘t want to put anyone in danger. Least of all Kuroo. "Please let me go, Kuroo."

For a longer moment, Kuroo just looked back, looking right into the other’s brown eyes as he sensed that Yaku didn‘t really want to escape. Also, if he said it. "You don‘t want to leave, do you, Morisuke?"

Yaku quickly swallowed, just glanced back before lowering his eyes. Why did Kuroo make it so hard for him to just break loose and disappear? Why did he make him want to just throw himself against him and trust him? "What are you going to do about him, Kuroo?"

"I don‘t know yet," Kuroo finally said, grinning at him again, scratching on the back of his head with one hand, "but there must be a way if you don‘t want to go back there."

Yaku blinked confused and speechless for a while before smiling and leaning against Kuroo again. He didn‘t want to go back to Arukawa under any circumstances, but then he had a feeling he could really trust Kuroo. That Kuroo really wanted to help him, no matter what it meant. "I never want to go back there."

Kuroo just looked at him and stroked Yaku reassuringly over his back. He didn‘t know what it meant when he rebelled against this guy, but he knew he couldn‘t tell him about Yaku. The more he thought about it, the more he felt as if he fell in love with the smaller one.

–*–

During the day, Kuroo focused solely on his work, while trying as best he could to avoid meeting Nekomata-san. He knew that he didn‘t accept that he opposed him. But he felt it was right to help Yaku, even against the elder’s order. He had a more than strange feeling at Arukawa anyway, which only got worse with the smaller one.

"You’re hiding something, are not you, Kuroo?" Surprised, Kuroo turned and looked into the friendly face of one of his comrades and a very good friend. He had dark brown cat ears and pretty short black hair.

"Maybe," Kuroo muttered, sighing slightly, "excuse Kai." He didn‘t know if it was such a good idea that the others would hear it. He knew that it was not good that he had already told Shibayama and Fukunaga about it. Even if Kai was one of his closest friends.

"Hm," Kai started, waving his dark tail to one side, "you know you can tell me everything, right?"

"Of course," Kuroo retorted, grinning sideways, "but ... sorry, I don‘t want to pull you in there." After all, he didn‘t know how Nekomata-san would react if he found out that he kept Yaku with him.

Kai studied the other one for a while before placing a hand on Kuroo’s shoulder and shaking his head slightly. "You need to know what you’re doing, but you also know that I’m your friend, no matter what you do and that I’m always on your side."

Kuroo glanced aside and glanced at Kai before thinking about it. He knew what Kai meant, but so far it has never been such a powerful opponent he opposed. Because he protected someone whom he had started to love. "Arukawa-san’s kitten." He hated to put it that way because he didn‘t want to see Yaku as his property, but he had to make Kai aware of what it was about.

Kai raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at the other questioningly. "What do you mean, Kuroo?"

"He’s here because he’s looking for someone," Kuroo said quietly, "but I can‘t do what Nekomata-san wants me to do. I can‘t deliver Yaku to him."

Kai just looked at him in surprise and shocked at the same time. "You know he’s an important guest." Kuroo nodded and sighed as Kai stroked his cat ears a little. "Fine. I will not say anything, but you should let the others out there."

Kuroo just smiled at him. "I didn‘t mean to involve anyone here. Thank you, Kai."

"And? Where is this Yaku?" Kai started and cocked his head.

"Huh? In my room," Kuroo said, a little puzzled that Kai was addressing him.

Kai looked at him a little more thoughtfully, before he looked a little through the corridor in which they were. "You should put him somewhere else if you want to hide him from Arukawa-san."

"You know that’s not so easy," Kuroo said, running his fingers through his hair, "not that I wouldn‘t be more comfortable if he could be anywhere that he wouldn‘t be near Arukawa-san."

Kai nodded, briefly making a more than thoughtful face. "I may know someone where he could stay."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow and then sighed. "I don‘t think it could work. Yaku seems to want to stay away from others."

"But it’s harder here, right? We should it try, I’ll call somebody later," Kai said seriously. "If it doesn‘t work, then we’ll have to think of something new."

Kuroo sighed and finally nodded. Actually, he knew that Kai was right and that it was safer if Yaku could be anywhere where he couldn‘t be found easily by someone like Arukawa. "Do that. Thank you, Kai."


	6. Chapter 6

In the evening and after the conversation with Kai Kuroo felt a little better. He really hoped Kai knew where Yaku could stay soon.

When he entered the room and closed the door behind him, he stepped to the other, who had once again sat on the sofa and wrapped the blanket around his body. "Hey, Yaku."

"Kuroo?", He started and turned his head a little to the other, "I wish I could help you somehow." He knew that he couldn‘t even go out at the moment. At least if he didn‘t want to meet Arukawa.

"A friend of mine is just seeing if you can stay with someone else," Kuroo said, sitting down next to the smaller one, "not that I don‘t want you here with me, but it would be better, right?"

Yaku swallowed and slid a little more to disappear almost completely under the blanket where he was huddled up. "I guess so?" Of course, he knew it was better to stay away from his former master, but at the same time, Kuroo was the only one where he felt comfortable in a way. He didn‘t know what that other person would be and if he could feel just as comfortable there.

"We’ll see if Kai lets me know, right?" Kuroo replied calmly, simply smiling at the other, "if you don‘t want to stay there, just tell me. I will not force you to do anything."

Yaku swallowed and then nodded slightly, leaning to one side and against Kuroo’s body as he held onto the blanket. Why did he have such a feeling all the time that he could trust him? Why did he feel so comfortable with him since the first day when Kuroo was with him?

"You are too important to me to force you to do anything, Yaku," Kuroo said calmly, putting one arm around the other, smiling calmly at him. How he would like to tell him what he felt, but he had a feeling that Yaku didn‘t even know what it meant. He would probably confuse him more than he wanted. Still less did he want to make sure that he frightened the smaller one with it.

–*–

The knock on the door made Kuroo open his eyes, noting that the room was still dark. He was lying on his bed and had pulled Yaku with one arm, but he noticed with a short, searching look next to him that he was still asleep.

Carefully, he felt for the night lamp with the other arm he was not holding Yaku, muttering softly, "who is it?" It almost never happened that someone woke him at night unless there was an emergency.

The door opened a little and Kuroo stared with some surprise into the dark eyes of Nekomata-san, who now stood in the doorway and looked at him.

"I thought you didn‘t tell him," Nekomata-san began, closing the door behind him, taking a few steps toward Kuroo, "what do you think you’re doing?"

Kuroo looked a little aside and just looked at Yaku, hoping that the little one would not hear about their conversation. "You can‘t ask me to do that to him," he murmured finally, looking back at the older man. He remembered exactly how Nekomata-san had saved him and Kenma when they were young. He had always believed that he would do that for everyone.

"Kuroo," Nekomata-san replied gravely, before sighing and shaking his head, "you’re harming everyone here."

"What if he never finds out that Yaku was here?" Kuroo replied with a clear glint in his eye. "Kai is trying to talk to someone right now. If Arukawa-san doesn‘t know about Yaku’s stay here, then-"

Nekomata-san looked at him intently and stroked his hair and his cat ears. "What is Yaku for you, Tetsurou?"

Kuroo opened his eyes in shock, just looking back at the other, finally looking down at Yaku’s sleeping form. He knew exactly what he felt. "I think I love him, Nekomata-san."

"Do you want Nekoma to be damaged because you protect him? You know Arukawa’s power in this country," Nekomata-san countered, still looking serious at Kuroo.

"No, of course not," Kuroo shook his head, "Nekoma is like a family I never had. But -",

"Then make sure he disappears from here," Nekomata-san finally said, before turning to leave the room, "I’ll give you until tomorrow evening. After that, I’ll take care of Yaku if he’s still here."

Kuroo swallowed, but nodded. He knew that it was said that Nekomata-san gave him a chance. They could pretend Yaku had never landed with them, but only if he would disappeared from here by tomorrow night.

He glanced after his boss, who left the room and closed the door behind him, while Kuroo turned his gaze to Yaku and stroked his ears a little. He had to speak to Kai as soon as possible in the morning.

 

Closing the door made Yaku jump a little, even if he didn‘t move and kept his eyes closed. He woke up sometime during the conversation between Kuroo and Nekomata-san.

He knew that the boss of the Nekoma Hotel could do nothing else. After all, Yaku himself knew what Arukawa had for a power. Which was exactly the reason why he didn‘t want to stay here from the beginning.

"I will protect you, Morisuke, I promise you," Kuroo whispered to him, without realizing that the other one wasn‘t asleep. If Kai couldn‘t find a solution, he would run away with him, no matter what it meant.

Yaku swallowed and just turned on the other, cramping in the covers but continuing as if he were just asleep. He really didn‘t want to suck Kuroo into anything. Why was he just staying here? Why didn‘t he disappear directly from here? Then he wouldn‘t have involved anyone in his cause. Neither Kuroo, nor anyone else from here.

A soft smile settled on Kuroo’s lips as he stroked Yaku a little reassuringly over the cat’s ears, before returning to him. Still, he paused when he saw a few stray tears streaming down the other’s cheeks. "Yaku? Hey, are you okay?" He finally started and jerked back a bit.

For a moment, Yaku was confused when he heard the concern in his voice. Had Kuroo noticed anything that he was awake?

"Hey, don‘t worry. I’m with you, Yaku," Kuroo murmured beside him, stroking his cheek a bit, lingering next to him, "whatever you’re dreaming. It’s all good now, okay?"

Surprised, Yaku listened to the other’s words before slowly opening his eyes to look at the other. "Kuroo, what-" he blinked as he felt an isolated tear trickle down his cheek. He hadn‘t even realized that he had begun to cry.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Kuroo started a little, just looking at him.

Yaku looked at him quietly for a moment before finally sighing and pulling the blanket up a little further. "I’ve listened to you, at least a little." For some reason, he was more comfortable in telling the truth to Kuroo.

"Oh," Kuroo muttered, running his fingers through his hair, "excuse me- don’t worry. I will protect you."

"Don‘t do more than you can, Kuroo," Yaku replied and turned to the other side, looking around the room, "I don‘t want you or Nekoma getting into danger because of _him_."

"Did you notice what I told Nekomata-san what you are to me?" Kuroo finally asked softly, looking a little more embarrassed at the other’s back. Even if Yaku didn‘t know what it meant, he needed to know if he had overheard it.

For a moment, Yaku remained silent as he thought about it. Slowly he turned back to Kuroo and just looked at him. "Yes," he finally answered softly.

"That’s why I want to protect you at all costs, Yaku," Kuroo said, looking at him, "I love you."

Confused, Yaku looked at him and then pushed back against the covers. "You should not protect me if it endangers you."

"Morisuke, I mean it," Kuroo sighed and lay down beside him, looking at Yaku seriously, "you don‘t know what it means to love someone, do you?" Because of the shake of his head, Kuroo just smiled, put his arm around the other and just pulled him to himself, turned off the bedside lamp with his other hand. "Just let me protect you, okay?"

"Kuroo," Yaku whispered against his neck, just clinging to the other, smiling slightly, "you’re not going to change your mind when I say you should not do it."

"That’s right," Kuroo replied only once before slowly closing his eyes again. He knew it was not the time to talk about what ‚ _I love you_ ‘ meant. At least now, if they didn‘t know what to expect.


	7. Chapter 7

After breakfast together, Kuroo made his way to Kai’s bedroom, where he knocked briefly on the door and finally opened it slowly. "Kai?"

"Come in, Kuroo," he replied as he sat at his desk, typing on the laptop for a moment, then turned to Kuroo.

"Do you have a chance?" Kuroo asked right after, leaning against the wall next to the desk, looking at his friend, "we have only today."

"Yeah, he lives just outside of Tokyo," Kai said, calmly looking at the other, "we’ll meet him in the afternoon."

Kuroo nodded and let out a sigh of relief. He hadn‘t thought that Kai could find someone so fast. "Does he know what this is about and that it is against Arukawa?"

Kai nodded calmly back. "Anything else wouldn‘t be fair to someone looking after Yaku, isn‘t it?" He stroked his cat ears a bit.

"Of course," Kuroo sighed. Actually, he didn‘t want to get anyone involved, but if he agreed, he would have to accept it. "When are we going, Kai?"

"At 1pm, at the hotel entrance," Kai said quietly, "I’m making someone distract Arukawa-san at this time."

"Thanks, Kai," Kuroo said, giving him a big smile, "really. I just hope Yaku accepts being with him."

–*–

Even though Yaku now knew who accompanied they when they left the hotel building, he looked at him a little skeptically. They were on their way to the meeting place with the one he could stay with.

"Don‘t worry, Yaku," Kai began, smiling at the others, "you’re safe with him and besides, he’s not living right in town, so you’re a little further away from Arukawa-san."

"Hm," Yaku muttered, while he couldn‘t help but hold Kuroo’s hand. Even though he didn‘t feel as if Kai wanted to do anything to him, he felt uncomfortable. Still, it wasn‘t that they were alone.

"If you don‘t want to stay with him," Kuroo started, squeezing the smaller one’s hand, "say it, yes? We find another solution. Together." He sensed that Kai was looking at him a little bit, and he knew that his friend saw through him. However, he was just as glad that he said nothing.

"Yes. Thank you, Kuroo," Yaku whispered back, just looking at the ground in front of him. He knew what Kuroo meant and that he wanted to protect him under all circumstances.

"Come on, we’re here," Kai began, glancing at the others before moving out of the metro and heading ahead. He hoped it worked. It would probably be the best for Yaku.

When they came to a small cafe, Kai looked around for a moment before opening the door and soon after saw his friend. "Hey," he began, casually glancing at Kuroo and Yaku, who entered the cafe behind him.

Yaku looked around a little more cautiously and finally followed Kai’s look to the person at a table who had turned his head to them. His hair was black and stood a little bit off. For a moment, Yaku clearly felt uncomfortable under the gaze of the other, who was right on top of him. Why did he have such a strange feeling with him? What exactly was that?

"Mori- Yaku?", The person started and straightened from the chair he had been sitting on while taking a step toward Kai and the others, his eyes still focused on the smaller one.

Yaku winced as he sensed that person wanted to call him ‚Morisuke‘. Why? Did he know him? "Who are you?" He asked as he continued to squeeze Kuroo’s hand. A feeling of fear came over him and he wanted to run away, but he tried to stay calm.

"Sorry," the other mumbled, settling back in his chair, "sit down first."

Kai studied his friend and nodded to Kuroo and Yaku as they also sat down at the table.

"Sorry, do you know Yaku?" Kuroo asked, cocking his head slightly as he continued to hold back Yaku’s hand.

The other nodded briefly. "Yes, but I think I should introduce myself, right? My name is Iwaizumi Hajime and Yaku and I know each other from before-" He stopped and looked into the smaller man’s brown eyes before just shaking his head, "I’m not surprised you don‘t remember, Yaku."

Yaku just blinked at him, not really knowing what to say. Or what he should do. He‘d absolutely no memories of the other. "You just wanted to call me Morisuke, or, Iwaizumi-san?" He finally asked softly, keeping his eyes down in front of him while continuing to squeeze only Kuroo’s hand. He was really glad that Kuroo was with him.

Iwaizumi nodded slightly and turned his head to one side, saw something through the interior of the cafe. "Sorry, we haven‘t seen each other for years and you don‘t remember me, so I’m sorry, Yaku."

Yaku just shook his head but didn‘t look up. He felt some connection to the other, but he didn‘t know what it was and whether it was something he could trust or not. "How do you know me? Arukawa-sama raised me and he has always been the only one I knew."

"Yaku," whispered Iwaizumi and looked back to him, smiled at him a little, "there was a time before _him_. If you want, I’ll tell you about it." His gaze shifted to Kuroo, who was watching him as silently as Kai did.

"Is it alright that you stay with Iwaizumi, Yaku?" Kuroo finally turned to the smaller one while still not letting go of his hand. At least, as long as he did not do it on his own.

"I think so," Yaku said a little more quietly and looked up and into the green eyes of the other. He didn‘t know who Iwaizumi really was, but he had the feeling that it was true what the other one told him. As if they knew each other from the time before Arukawa had appeared, even if Yaku didn‘t remember it.

"Then we should go back," Kai said calmly and looked over at Kuroo, "thanks again, Iwaizumi."

"Hm," Iwaizumi nodded to him before turning to Yaku, "is it really alright for you?"

"Yeah," Yaku nodded in response as he smiled a little, but finally turned his head to Kuroo, "are you coming over in between times, Kuroo?"

"Of course," Kuroo said, stroking his hair with his free hand and stroking him over one of the cat’s ears, leaning forward a bit and looking at Yaku in his eyes, "don‘t worry. You will never fall back into Arukawa’s hands again. I promise you that, Morisuke."

Before Yaku could say anything about it, he noticed how Kuroo’s lips brushed against his, and he could just look confused into the dark eyes of the other. Also, if it didn‘t last long and Kuroo then looked at him only quietly, he couldn‘t really say anything more. The only thing that went through his mind was the pleasant feeling that had spread through him, while otherwise he could just see in Kuroo’s smiling face.

"If anything should happen, I’m with you, okay, Morisuke?" Kuroo started as he slowly let go of his hand to move to Kai, "take good care of him, Iwaizumi."

Iwaizumi looked back and forth between the two before nodding to Kuroo. "Of course, Kuroo. Don‘t worry." Even if he was just thinking about what he had been watching. It had been clear that Kuroo felt something for his childhood friend, even if Iwaizumi wasn‘t sure how Yaku was feeling about Kuroo.

His eyes shifted to the other as Kuroo and Kai made their way back to the Nekoma Hotel. He didn‘t think he would feel anything for Yaku if he saw him again. But somehow it just felt exactly like that.

"Iwaizumi-san?", Yaku started a little questioningly while looking at the other, "is something?"

Iwaizumi blinked and shook his head, smiled briefly. "All right, how about we eat something? They have really delicious cakes here. Oh, and you don‘t have to be so formal. You used to call me Hajime, but what if you just say Iwaizumi, huh?"

Yaku nodded slightly and looked at him calmly. "That with the cake sounds good and okay, Iwaizumi." He didn‘t know if he could address the other by his first name at the moment, but that was how they could at least slowly begin to understand each other. "Have you been here more often?"

Iwaizumi chuckled a little, holding out a card to the other. "My best friend now lives in Tokyo and we meet here at least once a week."

Yaku nodded slightly as he surveyed the card. "I understand," he replied, before he looked up and looked at Iwaizumi, "do you really want to do that? I mean, against Arukawa-sama. After all -"

Iwaizumi briefly raised an eyebrow as he laid aside the card he was currently surveying and leaned across the table to put a finger on Yaku’s lips. "Don‘t worry. I will not let him take you away from me a second time, Yaku." As he said that, he just looked straight into these brown eyes of the other and for a moment had to think about how Kuroo had just kissed him shortly before. "I’ll be fine and you should stop calling him ‚Arukawa-sama‘, Yaku."

Yaku jumped a little and nodded slightly. He knew that at the moment he didn‘t care what he called him because he was no longer with him. Only it had solidified in him too much that he had to do it. He swallowed as he thought of the other. What would he do if he found him?

"Yaku?", Iwaizumi started and sat down slowly back to normal, blinking slightly as he realized how Yaku was about to cry, "hey, calm down, huh?"

"Iwaizumi, I," Yaku began, stroking his eyes, rubbing the tears away a little, "I don‘t want to go back to him."

"I promise you will not have to do that anymore," Iwaizumi replied smiling softly, "you’re a very good friend of mine, Yaku." Now if he thought about it and looked at him, he was sure that Yaku was more to him than Oikawa would ever be. Even if he had always thought that they were both his closest friends.

"Iwaizumi?", Yaku muttered, after he had calmed down a bit while he looked at the other again, "what does ‚ _I love you_ ‘ mean?"


	8. Chapter 8

By the time Iwaizumi had been in the cafe with Yaku, they had talked about trivial things. On the way to his apartment just outside the city they were silent a little more. Which also related to Iwaizumi worrying about what the other had asked him. He could imagine that Yaku didn‘t know what it means to love someone. After all, he had never experienced anything like that. Still, he was surprised that Yaku had asked him what ‚ _I love you_ ‘ means.

He studied Yaku a little as they sat in the living room of his small apartment, while the cat shifter had snuggled into a thin blanket. He just looked over the blanket at him. Had Kuroo said these words to him?

"Iwaizumi?" Yaku started softly, his ears twitching slightly. Did he say anything wrong in the cafe earlier? Was it wrong to ask the others about the meaning of the sentence he had heard from Kuroo?

"Why do you want to know what those words mean, Yaku?" Iwaizumi finally replied, looking calmly at the other. If Kuroo had told him, at least he knew what was between them, even if he was sure that Yaku didn‘t even know what it was, what he felt. He sensed, after all he had seen before, that Yaku probably felt the same way about Kuroo, but couldn‘t say it because he didn‘t know what it meant.

Yaku looked down at the ground and clutched the blanket with his hands. "Kuroo said it to me and he means to protect me, no matter what. I don‘t understand why he does that."

"I understand," Iwaizumi said quietly. So he was right that Kuroo had feelings for the smaller and probably the other way around. "What do you feel when you’re at Kuroo, Yaku?"

"What?", Yaku replied in confusion and looked up again, glancing straight into Iwaizumi’s eyes, "why do you ask that?" He thought of what it had been like when he woke up to him. When Kuroo had held him and just been there for him. He had just felt good and secure and had a feeling that he did not have to suffer anymore when he was with him. "I feel comfortable with him. As if I were safe with him."

Iwaizumi nodded and switched the seat to the sofa to sit next to the other. "Love is a very strong feeling of affection. I don‘t think you can properly understand it, in the current state, after all that Arukawa has done. But that’s why Kuroo does everything to make sure you’re safe. You have become the most important person in his life."

Yaku turned his head to look at Iwaizumi. "That’s Kuroo for me too, I suppose."

"Maybe," Iwaizumi said, running his hand through the other’s hair. Even if he was inwardly sure, he knew that it was not completely confirmed that it was so. "But don‘t worry, right? Not now. I think Kuroo thinks that too. You need time, Yaku."

Yaku nodded slightly and slid so that he lay half on the sofa and leaned against Iwaizumi. His tail swerved slightly beyond the blanket. "Thank you for being there for me, Hajime." He didn‘t know why he had addressed the other by his first name, but somehow it just felt right to do it.

"I’ll always be there for you, Morisuke," Iwaizumi replied quietly as he stroked the other’s ears and saw Yaku closing his eyes a little. The feeling of what surrounded him when his friend called him by his first name was far too obvious. He was just worried about Yaku, while at the same time he knew he was falling in love with the other. He could see too clearly that Yaku clearly felt something for Kuroo, just couldn‘t recognize it. Even if it hurt him, all he really wanted was for his friend to be happy someday. If it was with Kuroo and not with him, he would be satisfied.

–*–

The next time Yaku woke up, he noticed that he was now lying in a bed, holding the blanket over him. The room was dark and there was nothing outside but darkness. His eyes lit up a little golden as he looked around. At least he was alone for the moment.

He sighed a little, remembering what had been the day. He knew it was a good idea to go with Iwaizumi, even if he didn‘t remember him. He sensed that there was a stronger bond between them. Even when he sensed that he was lacking in Kuroo’s closeness. He’d liked it way too much to sleep with the other and cuddle up to him. How come he got so used to Kuroo?

Slowly, Yaku sighed and slid off the mattress, moving purposefully toward the door and opening it, glancing around the small hallway, then making his way to Iwaizumi’s room. Because of the golden glow in his eyes, he could see well enough in the dark anyway, so he quietly opened his bedroom door and cautiously entered the other’s bedroom. "Iwa- Hajime? Can I sleep with you?" He finally mumbled as he stopped beside the other’s bed.

Slightly too tired, Iwaizumi opened one eye and half looked up at Yaku when he felt the look on his face. He was startled by the sight, then sighed and just lifted the blanket, slipping slightly to the side. "Come over."

Yaku smiled in relief and slipped under the covers, staying beside him for a moment before just leaning against Iwaizumi. "I’m sorry. Kuroo has been cuddling with me the last few days and-"

"Not now," Iwaizumi interrupted, putting his arm around the other, pulling him reassuringly, "let’s sleep, Morisuke." He was too tired to talk about something with the other. Whether it was the thing that he did not want to sleep alone or that strange glow in the brown eyes.

"Yes, good night," Yaku retorted after a brief moment, before he was slowly overpowered by a quiet sleep. He didn‘t know what exactly had awakened him, but he knew he had briefly felt Arukawa’s icy gaze on him.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day they started with a quiet breakfast, even though Yaku was wondering what had happened the previous night. He couldn‘t fully remember what he had dreamed before he’d awakened, yet it was a reminder of Arukawa’s gaze drilled deep into him, far too present. From that moment on, he had the feeling that he needed someone to banish those memories. The days before, Kuroo had helped him banish those dreams.

"Did you have a bad dream tonight?" Iwaizumi began, finishing his meal while looking at the other.

Yaku jumped a little, then nodded, even as he turned his head in a different direction. "I think I don‘t really remember, but-", for a moment he looked back at the table and sighed, "Kuroo prevented me from seeing him in my dreams."

"I suppose he did some harm to you," Iwaizumi replied, looking at him sadly, "don‘t worry, you can sleep with me when you feel better. Besides, Kuroo wanted to see that he came by, if it was possible."

Yaku nodded a bit and looked back at him. He knew it was not so easy and he should be happy that at least he would be safe at the moment. "Yes. Thank you."

"Morisuke?" Iwaizumi began, looking a little more serious now, "I don‘t want to force you to say something you don‘t want, but what was that glow in your eyes?" He noticed shortly after the question how his friend began to shake, whereupon he got up and stepped next to Yaku to gently touch his arm. "Morisuke?"

"That -", Yaku started, wrapping his arms around his body. He would have thought that Iwaizumi would ask him about it and it was not that he wanted to keep it a secret. It was the memory that frightened him. "It’s up to Arukawa. I don‘t like to remember it. It was painful and I know that not everything worked as he wanted. It -" Yaku stopped and turned his head to Iwaizumi, "there is something I can‘t control."

"Morisuke," Iwaizumi replied, a little surprised, before settling down on a chair beside him and calmly looking at Yaku, "everything is going to be alright, right? You don‘t have to talk about it if it’s uncomfortable for you."

"I just never want to hurt anyone again," Yaku said and felt tears come to his eyes, "never again."

"You don‘t have to," said Iwaizumi, stroking his cheek and a tear, "we can find a solution."

Yaku just nodded and smiled back a little. He just had that feeling that he could trust Iwaizumi, even if he missed Kuroo already. Even if they were not even separated for a day.

Iwaizumi studied the other and glanced at a calendar on the wall of the dining room before smiling. "What do you think if we do something today? My best friend has a volleyball game and he can be extremely annoying if I miss one of his games," he grinned at Yaku, before straightening up and stretching out, "it could distract you from everything."

"What if we cross his path?" Yaku asked a bit unsure. Also, if the danger in this city was low, meeting someone so easy.

"Then we have to make sure that you don‘t stand out," Iwaizumi said calmly and drove Yaku over the cat ears, "without this you are not perceived as someone special."

Yaku looked at him a little puzzled before finally nodding and getting up as well. "You’re right and yes, why not."

–*–

Yaku blinked a little surprised when they entered the gym, when Iwaizumi steered him through a separate entrance. "Where are we going?" He asked softly. He wore a hoodie and was hiding his cat ears under the hood.

Iwaizumi looked at him from the side before smiling a little. "It’s been normal for me to be here, and besides, the organizers know who I am." He shrugged and continued down the hall, only noticing Yaku quietly following him. "Ah, don‘t frighten me, okay?"

Surprised, Yaku looked up and nodded briefly, even if he didn‘t quite know what Iwaizumi meant by that. But he still didn‘t ask questions. He really felt that he could be safe when he was with him.

Iwaizumi looked at his friend for a moment before moving on again. However, he stopped just before a half-opened door and stopped Yaku with one arm from moving on.

"Now just say, you don‘t want to wish me any extra luck!"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes at the sound of his best friend’s voice, casting a quick glance at Yaku, who was now clinging to his arm.

"Not if you’re so annoying, Tooru."

"Pffft! You are so cold, Tobio-chan! Really, sometimes you could be related to Iwa-chan."

"Besides, you don‘t need luck to beat them."

"A little extra motivation never hurts!"

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head, took a step forward and leaned against the door frame as he half saw Yaku still clinging to him. His eyes focused on his best friend, who was just kissed by his boyfriend.

"Satisfied, Tooru?" He grumbled and turned his head to the side, looking a little surprised to the door of the room, "Iwaizumi-san?"

"Huh? Iwa-chan? What are you doing here?" Oikawa looked questioningly at him.

"Seems to interrupt you a little, huh?" Iwaizumi replied, grinning, "you should just stay hard, Kageyama. Can‘t hurt him."

"Hey! Iwa-chan!" grumbled Oikawa and crossed his arms in front of him, "as always, nasty!"

"It’s not what you think," Kageyama muttered, looking aside, "and who is he?"

Shortly, Iwaizumi glanced sideways at Yaku before sighing. "I’ll take care of him for a while. You should know him, Oikawa."

Yaku looked a little puzzled by Iwaizumi to the other two as he became more thoughtful. He had no idea what exactly he meant by simply not remembering. "Uh."

Oikawa cocked his head, took a few steps toward Yaku, and leaned forward, studying the other for a moment, then sighed, "No. No idea what you mean, Iwa-chan. How do we know him?"

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head. It didn‘t even surprise him that Oikawa didn‘t remember Yaku. "Well, anyway, his name is Yaku Morisuke and we lived together in Miyagi for a short time."

Oikawa looked at his best friend, looked at Yaku again, and then shrugged, stepping away from them. "Whatever."

"I don‘t remember you, either," Yaku muttered under his breath, lowering his eyes to the floor.

"With you, it’s more up to Arukawa that you don‘t remember," Iwaizumi replied, glancing down at Yaku.

"I know, but," Yaku said quietly, without looking up again. It still bothered him that he didn‘t remember the people he used to call his friends.

"Whatever," Oikawa shrugged and just smiled broadly at Yaku, "anyway, I’m glad you’ve come to my game with Iwa-chan!"

"If we don‘t come, you will be obnoxious for the next few days," grumbled Iwaizumi, rolling his eyes, "and I can‘t stand that and don‘t want Kageyama to do it."

"Don‘t worry, I’ve learned to endure his moods very well," Kageyama replied, calmly watching Iwaizumi, "or ignoring him. After all, I had an excellent senpai in that case, Iwaizumi-san."

"Hmph!", Oikawa made and folded his arms in front of him, looked down at Yaku, "tell me, Yaku, do you at least want to support me? Iwa-chan and Tobio-chan are always so mean to me."

Yaku blinked for a moment and just looked at him while still clinging to Iwaizumi’s arm. "No?"

"Leave him alone, Oikawa," Iwaizumi sighed, staring back gravely before pushing Yaku slowly out of the room, "see you later."

"You can‘t just decide for him, Iwa-chan!", Oikawa replied and looked pouting after his best friend.

Iwaizumi shook his head and paused briefly in the doorway. "Depends on what it’s all about." He also felt that Yaku didn‘t like it, and he didn‘t necessarily want to tell everyone what was going on and that Yaku was fleeing from Arukawa. As he slowly reached for Yaku’s hand, he saw one last time to his best friend, without saying anything, just to look at him directly. Actually, Oikawa had to know very well what had happened then and why Yaku didn‘t necessarily interact with others.

Oikawa was about to say something when he looked into the green eyes of his best friend, who radiated something, so he remained silent and just reached for Kageyama’s hand. "Let’s go as well, Tobio-chan." Even if he didn‘t remember the cat shifter, he had the feeling that Iwaizumi was trying to tell him something about Yaku. Something that happened to him. Which is why he didn‘t ask for further information.


	10. Chapter 10

For the next two or three weeks, Yaku almost felt as if everything was alright. He had become accustomed to living with Iwaizumi. Kuroo came by several times a week and was there for a while. Most of the time he just snuggled up to the other, while Kuroo told him a little what was going on.

Still, Yaku knew he still had to be careful. He knew that Arukawa wouldn‘t give up easily enough to get him back. He always hoped that his former master wouldn‘t do anything to anyone he had met.

About a month after living with Iwaizumi, he noticed that when he woke up, it was different. He had gotten used to sleeping with the other when Kuroo wasn‘t sleeping with him so he wouldn‘t be haunted by those dreams.

That morning, when he opened his eyes, he noticed that he was alone in the bed with the blanket half over him. His cat ears twitched slightly and as he sat up, he noticed his tail swinging sideways.

His whole body started shaking all at once, so Yaku just clawed at the coverlet again. He‘d not had that feeling for a long time, but it was too familiar to know what it was. "Kuroo," he whispered to himself as his eyes focused on the door of the room. This time, even without the darkness, there was a golden glow in his brown eyes.

He knew he couldn‘t do it alone, to prevent him from being overworked by anything. At Kuroo he had felt in recent weeks that it had been pushed back the most. At that moment, he knew that Kuroo was the only one who could help him now.

Slowly, Yaku slipped under the covers and down from the bed, got up and quickly changed into a few simple things. As always in the last few days, he pulled on the hood of his hoodie and then went through the room, opened the door and looked around. "Hajime?" Why did he feel it was too quiet for this apartment? When Iwaizumi got up in front of him - which he usually didn‘t do while Yaku was still asleep - he was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

However, when he had briefly entered the other rooms, he didn‘t find the other, so he went back into the hallway. Yaku knew he didn‘t have time to wait for the other man to come back. He knew he had to go to Kuroo before he lost control of what had been in him for a few years. Because of Arukawa.

He grabbed his jacket, slipped on his shoes and stepped outside. He had memorized the way to the Nekoma Hotel well enough to come to Kuroo, even if he knew he had to be careful.

Why did it happen to him now? Why did he have such a strange feeling today, and why hadn‘t Iwaizumi been with him on the very day?

A little more, Yaku pulled on his jacket and hood slightly more as he headed toward the nearest metro station. Why had he believed that everything would stay like the last weeks? That it was always so well suppressed by Iwaizumi or Kuroo?

He swallowed when he finally discovered the station in front of him. Should he really drive back to the Nekoma Hotel in the hope that Kuroo could help him? Wouldn‘t it be better to just get out of here and be somewhere where he could not harm anyone?

"Yaku."

He winced as he heard the voice behind him. He knew the voice. It made sure that an icy shiver ran down his spine.

He only felt someone put a hand on his shoulder. He just wanted to run away, but he couldn‘t move and in general, he wouldn‘t get away from them. He knew too well who the person who had spoken to him was. "I don‘t want to go back," he whispered softly to himself, even if he knew it wouldn‘t work for the other. He was also sure that he said it more to himself than to anyone. , _Kuroo, where are you? Hajime_ ‘ he mused. Couldn‘t one of his friends show up here and help him?

"Come over. I’ll bring you back before _it_ does anything you certainly don‘t want, or Yaku?"

The other’s voice had a strange undertone and Yaku noticed, even without looking at him, that he was grinning. Why did he have to go back? Iwaizumi and Kuroo had made sure it didn‘t break out anymore. They both made sure he was safe. He didn‘t want to go back. "No," he finally mumbled softly. It was only partially an answer to his question. It was rather a small, weak exclamation that he didn‘t want to go with him. ‚ _Kuroo_ ‘, he thought again, as he looked up, his eyes still sparkling with that golden glow. ‚ _Tetsurou help me_.‘

"Come on, Yaku," the other’s voice came to Yaku’s ears again, though he didn‘t move from the spot. He didn‘t want to go back. Kuroo had promised to protect him, right? "You don‘t want anyone to harm just because you refuse to return."

Yaku winced when he heard the words. He didn‘t want to endanger anyone else. Certainly not Kuroo. Nevertheless, he had promised to protect him.

"Arukawa-sama will always find you. You know that, Yaku."

Shocked, Yaku opened his eyes and turned to the other one, whose lips showed a big grin. Did his _Master_ know about where he was all this time?

He shook his head slightly over the thought. He couldn‘t imagine that he knew it all the time, otherwise he would have tracked him down when he was at Nekoma.

Nevertheless, he finally hung his head and stepped to the other to go with him without resistance. If he resisted now, he would endanger those who helped him. He couldn‘t let Arukawa do anything to Nekoma. Nor Iwaizumi and his friends.


	11. Chapter 11

Just before Kuroo came back to the hotel building, he looked around a bit. He didn‘t know why he had suddenly gotten this feeling, but something had stopped him. As if everything had tightened in him for a moment.

After assuring himself that no one was watching him, he entered the lobby of the Nekoma Hotel. It was certainly nothing. He only imagined that something had happened. Iwaizumi was looking after Yaku right now, he was fine, right?

Kuroo ruffled his hair for a moment, then brushed one of his cat’s ears back a little before stepping aside and to the front desk behind which sat a young woman with short, brown hair. "Mai? Is Arukawa-san still here?"

She looked a little puzzled at Kuroo, before she briefly checked something. "He checked out about half an hour ago. Why do you want to know that, Kuroo?"

"Ah, for no reason," Kuroo mumbled and waved before he turned and strolled for a while. Was that feeling what he had, because of that? Was it related to Yaku?

Before he could think about it for longer, he went to a more private area and grabbed his cell phone, searched for Iwaizumi’s number, and finally dialed it. Inwardly hoping that he was worried for nothing. He just had to worry about nothing.

After waiting for a while, Kuroo finally sighed and squeezed the call after no one answered after a long time. He would try again later, even if it bothered him. He just couldn‘t do anything anyway except try to reach the other one.

–*–

The day was normal stress, but otherwise it was relatively uncomplicated.

Still, Kuroo was more than happy to finish that day and start calling Iwaizumi again. Somehow he had a much too strange feeling about it. As if he sensed that something had happened to Yaku. Also, because he knew that Arukawa usually didn‘t check out at such a short notice, as he had done this time.

He was just about to enter the hallway that led to the private rooms of the employees who lived here when he heard a distant voice. He didn‘t really perceive what he said, but at the end he heard his name, which is why he stopped in his movement and turned around.

Only slowly, Kuroo went to the front and looked at the other in front of the reception desk. "You are looking for me? I’m Kuroo Tetsurou, what’s up?"

He turned his head to him and finally nodded, looking around for a moment. He had brown hair that he had gelled to the side, as well as brown eyes. "You’re the one Yakkun mentioned, as far as I know," he murmured, scratching something on the back of his head, "can we talk undisturbed?"

Kuroo raised an eyebrow and finally nodded, leading the other to his private room, where they settled in the sitting area. He sat on the sofa while the stranger sat down on the chair next to it. "What is there?"

"I didn‘t see it right, but I’m pretty sure it was Yakkun," the other mumbled, sighing a little, "he was taken by someone. Also, if he volunteered, I can‘t quite believe that. Besides, I can‘t reach Iwa-chan."

"Wait a minute," Kuroo started, raising one hand for a moment, looking a little more insistently at the other, "first, who are you?"

"Oikawa Tooru, now just say you do not know me?", He started and raised an eyebrow.

Kuroo shrugged. "No," but then he sighed again, "but no matter what do you mean?" What exactly was it that had happened and with whom had Yaku gone? "And wait, ‚Iwa-chan‘?"

"Iwaizumi Hajime, you know him," Oikawa muttered, looking a little more thoughtful, "I’ve been trying to reach him for hours because we meet regularly. No reaction and no, he would usually contact me immediately if there was something. On top of that, I’m pretty sure I saw Yakkun talking to someone I don‘t know. He never looked to me as if he trusts others quickly."

Kuroo swallowed when he heard that. After all, he had also tried to reach Iwaizumi in the morning. "Where did you see Yaku?"

"Close to Iwa-chan’s apartment and the nearest subway station," Oikawa replied, looking seriously at him, "do you know anything about him? I’m sure that was something that Iwa-chan didn‘t tell me."

Kuroo looked at him a moment more seriously, then glanced thoughtfully sideways out of the window. "Why do you think he’s keeping something from you?" He didn‘t really know if he should really initiate Oikawa into the situation with Arukawa.

"Iwa-chan said that I should know Yakkun from the past, therefore," Oikawa murmured, sighing a little beaten, "I don‘t really remember him. However, we probably lived together earlier in Miyagi."

For a moment, Kuroo raised his eyes and turned his head back to the other. "You mean before," he stopped for a moment and stroked his hair, "Yaku has been running from Arukawa. Iwaizumi and I kept him hidden from him."

"Arukawa-san?", Oikawa replied a little more shocked, "are you hiding Yakkun from this man? Do you know what he would do to you if- oh," he stopped himself, staring at Kuroo wide-eyed, "do you think he knows that Iwa-chan has kept Yakkun hiding?"

"If so, we have to come up with something," Kuroo said, giving the other a desperate smile because he didn‘t really know what to do about this guy. Of course, one knew where the other lived and where his company building was. But that didn‘t mean that they even had a chance to get in touch with him. Or find out that he was really holding on to their friends.

Nevertheless, Kuroo knew that he would not give up easily. He had promised Yaku he would protect him, and if he had not done that, he would save him. No matter what it cost him.

"I didn‘t even know that Iwa-chan chose such a powerful man as an opponent," Oikawa mumbled as his eyes darkened, "but I don‘t want Yakkun to have to be with him again if he suffered there. We have to do something, Kuroo."

"You don‘t have to tell me," Kuroo mumbled, sighing, rubbing his cat ears, "I promised Yaku to protect him. If I couldn‘t do that, I will save him. Forever this time." His eyes focused on Oikawa.


	12. Chapter 12

He felt uncomfortable when he entered the large villa. He didn‘t even have to look around when he stood in the lobby, just staring in front of him. Every corner of this huge building sent shivers down his spine.

Yaku knew there was no point getting away if he didn‘t want to endanger his friends any further. The only thing he could do was wait and see.

However, even before he heard anyone, he felt something around his neck, so he felt it down there with one hand. Did this guy put a collar on him?

"So you don‘t escape again, Yaku," he heard the voice of this man behind him.

He jumped a little and felt something that felt like a mark on the collar. He belonged to Arukawa. He always knew it. There was no way to escape him. , _Kuroo._ ‘

"Then let’s take you back to Arukawa-sama, Yaku," he heard the other’s voice, which made Yaku just look at the ground in front of him, but eventually took the path this guy assigned him.

Also, if he wished Kuroo came to help him. Protected him as he had promised. He knew it didn‘t work.

When he realized how this man opened a door in front of them and told him to step into the room, Yaku just lowered his head and did what the other wanted. There was no point in defending himself when he knew that he belonged to Arukawa.

Behind him he heard only how the door was closed, before footsteps came in his direction. His ears twitched a little. The hood of his pullover had long since slipped backwards.

The next thing Yaku felt was a slap in the face that made him fall back. He propped himself up on the floor, but remained seated where he had landed and didn‘t dare lift his eyes.

"Do you still remember who you belong to, _kitten_?" He heard Arukawa’s loud, rumbling voice before he felt him pull him close to the pendant of his collar so he could look him in the eye.

"Yes, Arukawa-sama," Yaku mumbled back softly. He knew he couldn‘t fight back because it only made it worse.

"Good," Arukawa replied, before flinging him the other way, bouncing off the closet by the side of the room.

Startled, he gasped and tried to look up, narrowing one eye as he looked even more shocked at his friend. Why was Iwaizumi here? He swallowed when he saw him tied to the bedstead and sitting on the floor. However, apparently now unconscious.

"So you really know him, my kitten," Arukawa muttered as he watched Yaku’s gaze before grinning and joining Iwaizumi, "that happens to anyone who wants to take my belongings away. Are you brave now, or should I take care of the one who hid you at Nekoma in front of me?"

Yaku just stared at him in shock, before lowering his eyes. So he knew that Kuroo had kept him to protect him. "Please let him, let everyone out of there. I will not run anymore, Arukawa-sama." He wouldn‘t forgive himself if someone else happened, just because they had protected him.

"Good kitten," Arukawa replied, grinning only before turning his gaze back to Iwaizumi, "but I can‘t let those two get away. Be glad that I’m merciful with Nekoma, my kitten."

"What?", Yaku started and sat up slowly, walked to him and now looked rather pleadingly, "please- it’s my fault alone! Punish me, but leave Iwaizumi and Kuroo out of it."

"Do these two mean so much to you?" His eyes focused on his kitten as he ran a hand through Iwaizumi’s hair. "That you sacrifice yourself to save them."

Yaku swallowed and nodded a little, even as he turned his head in a different direction at the same time. He should not face Arukawa. Also, when it came to saving Iwaizumi and Kuroo.

"Hm," Arukawa murmured, then shrugged and stepped toward the door of the room to cover the doorknob, "I’ll think about it, kitten. So long you will stay with him here. I don‘t think you’ll flee if he’s trapped here, will you, Morisuke?"

Yaku just swallowed while keeping his head lowered to the ground. He wouldn‘t try to escape. It would only make things worse. For him or his friends.

Shortly thereafter, he just heard his master leave the room and shut the door behind him.

Yaku’s eyes glanced slowly toward Iwaizumi as he continued to sit on the ground, barely able to move. In addition, the place where he hit the closet hurt him slowly. Before, he had hidden it more because of the shock when he saw Iwaizumi.

If he had never stayed with Kuroo back then. Why hadn‘t he fled directly? Then he wouldn‘t have included anyone else here. He had known that it didn‘t work and that only those who helped him would endanger it.

He just pressed himself against Iwaizumi’s upper body, wrapped his arms around the other and sobbed against his stomach. He didn‘t want all that. He didn‘t want anyone to suffer because of him. "Ku-Tetsurou help me, please," he brought out sobbing, "help us. You promised to help me. To protect me."

"Morisuke", Yaku heard the voice of his friend between his sobs, whereupon he raised his head slightly, even if he still pressed against the other.

"Hajime? What happened?" Yaku started softly, though he still felt his voice shaking and tears streaming from his eyes.

"Calm down," Iwaizumi muttered as he turned his eyes to the other, "he will not win."

"But it doesn‘t help," Yaku whispered back under sobs, "he knows that you and Kuroo– he will hurt you if I don‘t do what he wants."

"Quiet," Iwaizumi said, calmly looking at him. He just wanted to pull the smaller one into his arms, but he was still tied up. "Believe that Oikawa and Kuroo will find us."

"How do they know-" Yaku murmured, sobbing, even when he broke off because he didn‘t really know what he wanted to say or could even say.

"I’m pretty sure he knows something," Iwaizumi said quietly, "and he’ll be surprised I didn‘t come to our meeting place and didn‘t call. He’s an idiot, but he’ll know what he’s going to do to find out what’s going on."

Yaku swallowed and rubbed his eyes briefly, even if that didn‘t really stop the tears, but he nodded slightly. "I’ll believe it. Kuroo wanted to protect me. I- I want to believe that he helps me. I-," he paused for a moment as he looked up at Iwaizumi, whose green eyes were staring at him. He knew what he wanted to say, even if he felt as if it wasn‘t right.

"What do you want to say, Morisuke?" Whispered Iwaizumi to him.

"I– I love him," Yaku muttered, leaning his head back against Iwaizumi’s stomach.

Iwaizumi sighed while he just smiled. He knew it. He knew that Yaku had the same feelings for Kuroo, even if he didn‘t know what it was before. He just never thought that it hurt him so much to hear what he already knew. Had he really fallen in love with the other so much, even though he knew it was hopeless? "You should tell him when he comes, Morisuke." It was all he said while he just looked at Yaku. No matter how much it hurt, all he wanted was for his friend to live happily ever after. If that was with Kuroo, he wouldn‘t stand in his way.


	13. Chapter 13

The day after Kuroo received this information, he was sitting in the office of Nekomata-san, while he looked at him clearly. "You meant it when you wanted to protect Yaku, huh?"

"I’m sorry if I couldn‘t do what you wanted, but," Kuroo started, but blinked when he saw Nekomata-san raise his arm and stop him with a simple wave of his hand.

"You don‘t need to say more," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "do you think it’s easy for me to exclude someone like him?"

Kuroo swallowed, shaking his head, "No."

Nekomata-san looked at him for a moment before smiling. "You know where Arukawa-san has his estate, right?"

"Yes," Kuroo muttered, though his gaze was a little more confused as he looked at Nekomata-san.

"Take care of getting him out there," Nekomata-san said as he glanced at the computer screen in front of him, "but then you have to decide, Tetsurou."

Surprised, Kuroo lifted his head and just looked at the other, while he didn‘t fully understand what Nekomata-san wanted out. "What?"

"If Yaku stays here after that, he would only be in danger of being trapped again," Nekomata-san answered calmly, not even waiting for Kuroo to really say what was bothering him, "he can no longer live in Japan, as long as Arukawa is here and looking for him. And we can‘t do anything against him."

Kuroo swallowed when he heard that. He knew that Nekomata-san was right. He knew it was the only way they had. But he didn‘t want to lose Yaku again after he knew what he felt for him. "It’s probably the best for him."

Silently Nekomata-san watched the younger boy as he stroked his ears and finally sighed. "Decide whether you accompany him or not. It doesn‘t have to be direct. I think you have two or three days if you got him out there."

Kuroo nodded slowly before silently leaving the room. He knew it was the only thing they could do, but he didn‘t know if he really could accompany Yaku. He had found something like a new family in Nekoma, along with Kenma. Could he leave his best friend alone, after all they had gone through?

"Hey, Kuroo."

For a moment he blinked when he noticed who had addressed him. When did he actually go all the way to the entrance? "Oikawa?"

"And? What’s up?" Oikawa started, cocking his head, "you talked to your boss, didn‘t you?"

"Hm. We should get them out there, after that," Kuroo replied, stopping his sentence and instead looking thoughtful, "should Yaku get away from here, so that Arukawa-san doesn‘t get him easily."

"You’re not talking about going with Yakkun," Oikawa said, raising an eyebrow slightly, "are you thinking of leaving him alone, Kuroo?"

Kuroo shrugged. "I don‘t know. Nekoma became something of a family to me and Yaku deserves to be free."

"Yaku also deserves to be happy," a calm, emotionless voice came to them.

Oikawa turned his head slightly, while Kuroo just looked at the other, surprised.

"Kenma?" Kuroo muttered, staring at his best friend, "what -?"

"I heard how much you cared about him," Kenma muttered, turning his head slightly, swinging his tail in the other direction.

"I still can‘t be so easy," Kuroo started, shaking his head as he felt Kenma’s eyes narrow and he looked at him intently.

"Be there for Yaku," Kenma said finally, "just as you were there for me the last few years. Make sure he is happy. No. Do something for yourself and nobody else, Kuro."

Kuroo blinked at his best friend a little speechless as he stroked his hair. "You don‘t need me anymore, do you, Kenma?"

Kenma turned his head slightly, his cheeks a light red. "Of course I still need you," he murmured softly to himself, "but Yaku needs you more now."

Kuroo looked at him and then just grinned, stroked his best friend over the cat ears and ruffled his hair a bit. "Thank you, Kenma."

Kenma didn‘t reply, but just went off in another direction, feeling exactly how he was still too red. He knew that he would miss Kuroo because he was the only one who had always been there for him. However, he wanted to get along without him.


	14. Chapter 14

Yaku’s eyes widened as he saw in front of him. His tail swayed from side to side as he clenched his hands in the shirt he was wearing.

In front of him on the wall sat a person with tattered clothes. His arms were chained to the wall with an iron chain so he couldn‘t move. His eyes showed no emotion and Yaku knew that he probably wouldn‘t stay completely in this world any longer. Even if his body and soul hadn‘t completely died yet.

"How about you release him from his pain, _kitten_?" Arukawa’s voice behind him was sharp and icy.

Yaku winced. He knew what his master wanted him to do, but he also knew he wouldn‘t be able to control it if he used it again. "I don‘t want that." His voice was more a whisper. Was that what his master wanted? That he would become what he‘d made of him again?

"You resist my orders, Morisuke?" Arukawa asked with a dark tone in his voice.

Yaku swallowed, but nodded briefly. He knew he should not resist, but he knew what could happen if he couldn‘t control that _monster_ in him.

"What a shame. I thought I could use you to wipe out those annoyances that were trying to take you away from me," he heard Arukawa’s voice behind him, and Yaku widened his eyes.

"What? I don‘t want that," Yaku murmured and turned to face him, looking at his master in shock, "you said you’ll leave them alone if I stay with you and don‘t run anymore."

"Why should I let them live, kitten?" Arukawa said, stepping over to Yaku, grabbing him by the trailer and pulling him towards him, staring into his eyes, "if you don‘t kill those two I’ll find someone else for it." He then pushed Yaku back to the floor and turned to leave the basement room.

Yaku, while resting on the floor, swallowed his hands in front of him while his eyes lay on his master, startled. What should he do to protect Kuroo and Iwaizumi?

"No," he whispered to himself as his tail floated in the air, "leave them alone!" His eyes flashed with that golden glow before he jumped up and jumped at his Master from behind as long talons spun out of his fingers. "I will not let you hurt them!"

For that moment, Yaku didn‘t even know what he was doing, that the only thing he knew was that he wanted to protect Kuroo and Iwaizumi from his master. He didn‘t want to let him use him any longer.

What he noticed when he slowly started to breathe was that he had pierced the other with his claws so that it left a larger pool of blood.

"How can you deceive your Master like that, Morisuke?" Arukawa hissed, holding Yaku’s wrist with one hand while resting on the floor with the other.

"I will not belong to you anymore," Yaku said, his eyes still sparkling with that golden glow, "and I will not hurt anyone anymore." Even if he knew there was only one way to stop hurting anyone.

"Yaku!"

Before he could kill himself with his claws, he looked up, startled, and stared straight into the dark eyes of Kuroo, who was standing on the cellar steps looking at them.

"Tze. One of those annoyances is actually here," grunted Arukawa, grinning, "what is, kitty? Now is the perfect time to show him who you really are."

Yaku winced as he felt Arukawa let him go. Instead, he looked at him with a more than sneaky grin. "Kuroo, what -"

"Yaku, come with us! Quick!" Kuroo started as he surveyed the situation. Even if he was scared for a moment about the other’s appearance. His eyes shone with a piercing golden glow. From his fingers one recognized long, sharp claws on which still some blood hung. While he was about to meet and kill himself.

"No," Yaku said, shaking his head, "I’m not like you. Like anyone at Nekoma. Get out of here, Kuroo."

"I’m not leaving without you," Kuroo said, looking at him seriously, slowly approaching.

"Tetsurou," Yaku said seriously, his eyes turning to the other, "please. Just go."

Kuroo stopped and stared at the other. It was the first time Yaku had called him by his first name and it felt too good a moment for him to move. "I said I protect you." His voice was calm as he smiled at the other. "By that I mean, I protect you from everyone. Even from you, if need be, _Morisuke_."

Startled, Yaku stared into the other’s eyes, listening to him as he felt tears streaming from his eyes. He wanted to stay with him, but he knew he had something he couldn‘t control easily. What if Kuroo couldn‘t protect him from it? "You don‘t know what you’re saying, Kuroo."

"No?" Kuroo started and continued to smile, slowly moving toward Yaku while ignoring Arukawa. After the injury that Yaku had inflicted on him, he was not able to hurt him anyway. "Perhaps. But I can‘t leave you alone. Please Yaku." He slowly put his arms around the other, just hugging him, ignoring the blood, which also kept him attached.

"Kuroo," Yaku whispered and now simply sobbed as he slowly calmed down and made these claws disappear, instead simply clinging to the other, "I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

Kuroo didn‘t know how long he was sitting on the cellar floor with Yaku or when Oikawa and Iwaizumi had taken them away from there. He had only noticed how Yaku eventually fell asleep exhausted in his arms.

By now, they were in Oikawa’s apartment, while Kuroo was at Yaku’s side all the time while he was just asleep. The only thing he had done was to rid the other of his blood-stained clothes and to wipe away a few remnants of the blood that clung to his body.

After that, he had taken a quick shower himself and put on some other clothes he had borrowed from Oikawa before settling down next to Yaku in a chair next to the bed.

He had no idea what exactly had happened, but he didn‘t really care what or who Yaku was. For him that was secondary. He simply just never wanted to be without the other one again.

He didn‘t even expect Yaku to tell him he loved him. But it was the crucial point that made him just want to be happy with him. Even if Arukawa was no longer really a danger, it would probably be better if they could start a new life somewhere. Somewhere where Yaku wasn‘t reminded of what had happened. Besides, they couldn‘t be sure if he was really killed by Yaku.

When Oikawa and Iwaizumi had taken them out there to let them leave, the other had been unconscious - but not dead. Kuroo somehow had a feeling that he had survived it. But in a sense, he would be glad if Yaku hadn‘t killed him. He didn‘t want Yaku to kill anyone. No matter who it was and how deserving it was.

The knock on the door made Kuroo look up as Oikawa opened the door and slid his head through the crack. "Kuroo? Don‘t you want to eat something?"

Kuroo just shook his head and looked back at Yaku. "No." He didn‘t know if he could eat right now if he didn‘t know how Yaku was doing.

"Any change in Yakkun?" Oikawa asked as he pushed himself carefully into the room and closed the door behind him.

"No," Kuroo replied and sighed, stroking Yaku a bit over his cat ears, "Oikawa?"

"Hm?" He replied and looked thoughtfully at the other one.

"Can you tell Nekomata-san that I chose to stay with Yaku?" Kuroo started calmly, not taking his eyes off the other, "we should get out of here. It doesn‘t matter if he’s alive or not."

"I can," Oikawa replied calmly, his eyes resting on Yaku.

"Thanks," Kuroo said and sighed, studying the sleeping face of Yaku for a moment, "I wish I had met him differently."

Oikawa nodded a little without saying anything, as he slowly turned to leave the room. Only in the opened door he stopped again. "As soon as Yakkun is awake, you can get your food. But relax a bit, Kuroo." After that, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving the two of them alone again, before making his way back to the dining room.

–*–

The next two days, Kuroo noticed no change in the other, and slowly he worried more. Even if he had seen what Yaku had done, what he really was, he had not suffered any worse injuries. At least not physically.

The only thing he consumed during his time was now and then something to drink, otherwise Kuroo just watched the sleeping form of the smaller one. "Yaku."

Slightly blurry, Yaku opened his eyes a little, blinking for a moment before he recognized Kuroo beside him. Or rather his too wild hairstyle. "Kuroo?"

Kuroo looked aside in surprise and noticed Yaku’s somewhat gloomy look as he put his arm over his forehead and slowly closed his eyes. A soft smile settled on Kuroo’s lips. "You are awake, Yaku."

"Hmm," Yaku said, without opening his eyes one more time. Somehow he felt too exhausted. He remembered that he had attacked Arukawa and Kuroo had appeared at his place. But the rest somehow blurred in his memories. "Is Arukawa ...?"

Kuroo sighed briefly as he studied him. "We don‘t know. But you’re safe." He stroked the other’s cat’s ears while he just smiled. "Do you like something to eat?"

Yaku opened his eyes again and nodded slightly before looking at Kuroo a little more confused, "where are we?"

Kuroo nodded and withdrew his hand, slowly getting up. "Stay here, I’ll get you something." He crossed the room, grabbed the doorknob, and then looked back at Yaku again. "We are in the apartment of Oikawa and Kageyama. It was Oikawa who told me something must have happened." After the sentence, he opened the door and made his way to the kitchen to get some food. They could take care of everything else later.


	16. Chapter 16

The rest of the evening and the next night it was peaceful. Kuroo watched Yaku a little as he quietly snuggled up to him in his sleep.

He only got a few hours of sleep during the night, but somehow he was too upset to sleep. Besides, he was just glad that he could have Yaku with him. Yaku deserved to be able to sleep normally.

The next morning’s sunrise caused Kuroo to rub his eyes a little while holding on to Yaku with one arm.

It was still too quiet. Probably nobody else had awakened.

Only the sudden ringing at the door a little later made Kuroo sit up and take notice. Since he was still too much held by Yaku, he just couldn‘t really do anything about it.

His ears only twitched as he listened to the sounds outside the room and the footsteps moving toward the front door.

"Hm, what’s going on?", Yaku said quietly, looking up a bit sleepy but not leaving Kuroo.

"I’m sure everything will be fine, Yaku," Kuroo said quietly, running his hand through his hair.

"Don‘t you sleep, Kuroo?", Yaku asked quietly, turning his head so that he could look at the other, while still keeping it on Kuroo’s chest.

"Hm, you probably need more sleep, don‘t you, Yaku?" Kuroo replied, ignoring something that he had probably slept through the night for only two to three hours.

Yaku looked up at him from below. "I’m actually awake," he finally mumbled, "what are we going to do now?"

Kuroo eyed him, leaning back on one arm to get up a little better, his other arm wrapped around Yaku. "Once you’re fit, we’ll see that we’re somewhere far away from here. So you will not be reminded or someone will find you."

Yaku swallowed something as he slid up a little and bent over Kuroo, facing him and dangling his tail. "Arukawa-san is still alive, right?"

For a moment Kuroo just looked at Yaku and looked into his brown eyes. Looked at his upper body, which was currently in a too big T-shirt, while his tail swung a little from one side to the other. "We don‘t know that."

Yaku flinched and jerked to his neck, which had previously been this collar. He didn‘t know when or who had taken it from him. Probably Kuroo, after he got him out there. "Why did you stop me, Kuroo?" He whispered and looked directly at the other, "why did you stop me from dying? Why?!"

Kuroo’s eyes widened for a moment as he listened to Yaku and saw him kneeling above him, looking directly into his eyes, which now sparkled a little golden again. Although not as much as it was then.

Slowly, Kuroo smiled and slid his hands to the younger man’s cheeks, stroked it and pulled him to his side, leaning up to meet him. Just before their lips touched, Kuroo stopped. "I love you, Morisuke." He then bridged the last distance and just kissed Yaku.

Startled, Yaku stared at the other, just trying to realize what Kuroo had told him. What he did. It took a moment for him to indulge in the kiss and relax.

Still, it just felt too good. He didn‘t want to miss that feeling of what he was feeling at Kuroo.

When he noticed Kuroo withdrawing from him, Yaku blinked a little, before finally putting a small smile on his lips. "I love you too, Tetsurou." After that he just let himself fall back on the other and snuggled up to Kuroo. "Please stay with me."

"I will, no matter where, I will not leave you alone," Kuroo replied softly as he ran his hand through Yaku’s hair and over his cat’s ears.

As they lay together, Kuroo blinked shortly after, noticing how someone was opening the door.

"You have to go. As fast as you can," Kageyama looked at them as he opened the door, blinked a little surprised at the image, but dismissed it as unimportant, "Shibayama receives you with the most important documents at the airport and explains everything else there."

Kuroo looked at him irritably as he continued to hold Yaku in his arms. "What happened?" Did that have anything to do with the fact that someone had rung them up earlier?

"If you want to protect him, hurry up and get dressed," Kageyama said, looking seriously, then put down a bag next to them, "we’ll take care of everything else and Iwaizumi-san will drive you to the airport."

Yaku looked a bit confused before looking at Kuroo. He could somehow think what it was about. Under no circumstances did he want more involved in this matter.

Kuroo eyed him and just smiled, "Come on. It’s going to be fine and once we get out of the country, he will not find you so fast." He would protect Yaku, no matter what it meant, and no matter where they were going to go. As long as his boyfriend could live happily, he would do anything for him.

**Author's Note:**

> [writing blogs, twitter and other links](https://linktr.ee/neko_feuchen)


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